Tramaine

Brock

The 31-year-old veteran was injured in camp, paving the way for first-round rookie C.J. Henderson, D.J. Hayden, Parry Nickerson, and Chris Claybrooks to be used heavily in dime packages in-season. Brock most recently logged 533 snaps across 10 games with the Cardinals last year, projecting as depth for the Jaguars in 2021.

The 31-year-old journeyman had been heavily used before being let go by the Cardinals, logging 533 snaps across 10 games/seven starts. He had battled a hamstring injury but was back to full health in Week 13. He will provide depth for a banged up Titans secondary.

He logged eight tackles over 57 defensive snaps Sunday in his return from a strained hamstring. Brock appeared in 10 games for Arizona this year including seven starts, though obviously the Cardinals didn’t feel he had a future with them. The 31-year-old journeyman has suited up for four teams in his last three seasons.

Brock’s absence is great news for Chris Godwin, who is in a potential smash spot from the friendly confines of the slot against the Cardinals’ porous secondary. Mike Evans is expected to draw shadow coverage from Patrick Peterson. The good news for Evans is that the 2019 version of Peterson doesn’t appear to be anything to fear. The Cardinals’ No. 1 CB ranks outside of the league’s top-50 corners in catch rate allowed, QB rating allowed as well as fantasy points allowed per cover snap and target. Both Emmanuel Sanders (7-112-1) and Michael Thomas (11-112-1) managed to excel while in Peterson’s shadow over the past two weeks.

Brock follows DC Vance Joseph to the desert after playing 436 snaps for Joseph’s Broncos last season. Brock turns 31 before the season and doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank. The Cardinals, however, annually have one of the weakest cornerback groups behind Patrick Peterson. Brock will compete for playing time behind Peterson and new No. 2 CB Robert Alford.

Brock got in a limited practice Saturday, but it’s not enough for him to play this week. With Brock out, the Broncos will go with Isaac Yiadom and Adam Jones in sub-packages.

The Broncos expected Brock to be fine early in the week, but he has now missed the first two days of practice. Perhaps he returns on Saturday, but he is looking likely to sit out Monday night. It is a blow for a defense which was already going to struggle to stop the Chiefs.

Brock was forced from Sunday’s loss to the Ravens in the first half but is evidently fine. Brock is the mop-up man in the Broncos’ cornerback corps.

Denver’s defense has not looked comfortable against Baltimore’s attack early, and now they are without a starter at corner. Third-round rookie Isaac Yiadom will fill in for the rest of the game.

An undrafted free agent in 2010, Brock opened last season as the Niners’ nickel back, but a Week 2 hand injury sent him tumbling down the depth chart. He finished with just five tackles and two picks in 11 games. Brock could get another shot at nickel duties in 2012 if free agent Carlos Rogers is not re-signed.